Telegram-herald., 1887-02-14
WATER IN ABUNDANCE
Grand Rapids Has Enough and
Some 10 Spare.
THE SITUATION MORE ENCOURAGING
re River Fell Tao inches Yes erdss-
4 Trip Down the Raging Grand.
The ice Gorge Below
the City

The cold weather yesterday had the
effect Of stopping further FSiss IN the
river and before suDdown IL had fallen
about two inches snd the same decline VAS
noticeable IN the water in the Easements
The situation above the city remains un
changed and is sill rrecario0s AT the Office
OF the Electric Light Company on Pearl
81. there was two inches Of wster on the
door Yesterday morning. bat al midnight
u had entirely disappeared and the ioor
was dry. Water ia the TElEskAN- HERALD
basement lowered about two inches yesier-
day and We are hopeful
Yesterday brought no material change 20
the flooded districts in ihe southern part of
the city alOns the river front. From fui-
tOn-st on Water cost. down 90 the 4. 4 ".
NJ railroad bridge the wafer is in all tie
back yards aud in many places comes up 10
the back doors Of the houses The islands
are submerged and gone fr0m view. The
steam boat channel ls frozen over solid and
the Barrett Is held fast In iis clutches.
The boat l. secured with couple Of large
cables which are stretched from the chan.
nel 10 the foot Of Oaks-st. AT this point
the water is almost up 10 the sidewalk.
The water lacks only foot OF being up TO
the siringefs OF the {. a w NJ bridge. Be
low the bridge traifc on the
riser road is completely cut OF
By water and In order to reach
toe Plaster Mills the pedestrian il obliged
TO iase Oakland ave which branches oil Il
Ia point IN a sDulheasterly direction, aud
then take the Z. & w. NJ. railroad stroll
along the track gives good view of the
water 10 all directions. apd the track re-
minds person OF an immense bridge as
the Hats between the river and the railroad
including the highway. are completely sub
merged. Tue low lands on the other side
Of the track towards The Black Hills are
also covered wiki water 10 a depth Of four 10
live feet, hich j. frozen over. and in macy
places the festive youths could be seen
gliding over the smooth surface on skates.
The fences along the track are submerged
and IN many places they are invisible. and
the water Is almost Oh leye with the track
which is elevated about eight feet above
the level Of the surrounding land
through the Black Hills This state Of
things continues TO Cot Lane after which
the track is nearly clear 70 the Plaster
Mills though numerous little streams run
down the Hills and along the side of the
track. GOdireys Plaster Mills are COM
pletely submerged and the water l. up 10
the nrst iiOOr but yet has not damaged
any OF their stock. but in the event OF a
few inches more raise great damage is an
Icipated. There is an open channel
through the river until about forty rods
north OF the Plaster beds. Here the river
Is completely choked uD with broken ice
which IS solidly frozen together until il
looks lie miniature icebergs. The two
Plaster Mills. the qusrries. and all the sur
rounding land is mass OF water and ice
Around Plaster Greek the water has
fell considerably although it is vet
much higher than usual at the bridge which
crosses the Grandvile road The place
looks rather barren and desolste since the
milldam and other bridges were carried
away.
The bridge which crosses the creek south
OF Grandville has been carried away. This
puts the inhaDiant7 Of JennisoDyiIle To
considerable disadvantage as they are now
unable % reach this city unless they take a
roundabout course, which forces them
eight or ten miles out OF their way
The Lake Shore road which runs south
distance of three and one half miles from
the centre of the West Side and then crosses
the river. being menaced by the rising water.
was yesterday inspected by a reporter for
| the TELEGRAM HERALD Alter leaving the
CITY limits the road Is about a quarter OF
mile from the river for the most part Of the
| distance. until il nears he bridge A half
| mile from the city limits the river has 50
| far Overf0wsd It's banks as 70 cover the
ground to the railrosd and half mile on
the opposite side. The houses in the su-
! burbs are co nple,ey surrounded and the
| lower floors are submerged IN wat r.
| The boys e and girls were having
| fine sport Yesterday afternoon skating aud
sliding on the Ice and al along the route
| peop could be seen viewing the immense
quantities OF water and ice, which sur
( rounds the railroad For nearly mi e te-
fore the road makes Its first curve the water
1 j. vi hin from one TO two feet Of the rails
! and The fences on either side are entirely
submerged A short distance past the
! Eagle mills the water for few rods has sur
| rounded the rails but they are not entirely
| submerged At the trestle bridge the water
i about a foot uelow the strinsers and s
PARTIALLY frozen over. At several Of the
| lower points along the road. ballast
| ing has been done, there
was fears of the gravel being
washed away from the ties As seen from
the railroad the open channel in the centre
Of the river presents sro zen and turbid
! appearance. aud at intervals large cakes Il
| ice can beseen piled mp on either side Of
/ the flowing water There j. no supeTiu0us
ice a. the bridge although there u bat
small channel open. Al FIVE o cock last
evening the wafer had lowered two inches
( during the dsy and on the retu trip IT
vas noticed that the water in . small tribu-
farv. which heretofore had been slowly
I backing un. vas then running A. q slow
| pace toward the river The water ~ the
I bridge is huf half foot below the strinrers
! The wefchman Al The bridge stated 10 the
reporter fbsf Friday night the water rose
one foot. Saturday night two inches and
! vesferfaf 80 feIftT7 inches The empl0ves
/ ~ the road are confident that from now Oh
/ tie aslfr Wi continue 10 lower a0d that
. go more damsRe viii - done